The protestors have taken to holding up lit smartphone screens toward the sky, which explains the tiny blinks of light you see in the drone footage.

Protesters hold their mobile phones as they block the main street to the financial Central district, outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria

The protests — dubbed "Occupy Central," or the "Umbrella Revolution" — have primarily been fueled by younger Hong Kong residents who are angry at what they see as Beijing's slowly taking away Hong Kong's democracy. China recently placed restrictions on Hong Kong's 2017 election of its top civil leader, saying the candidates would have to be vetted by Beijing, according to CNN.

There are also economic concerns relating to inequality and the price of housing.